Assessing critical habitat features determines whether habitats can support sea otter populations in the future. A habitat suitability analysis represents an important step in (1) selecting prospective sites for a future reintroduction, (2) assessing where sea otters are most likely to concentrate in the future, and (3) identifying where the otters might potentially conflict with human activities.

Based on the abundance and distribution of existing sea otter populations in coastal habitats around the North Pacific, it seems likely that all of coastal Oregon (including estuaries) represents potentially suitable sea otter habitat. However, there is considerable variation in habitat features throughout the state—benthic substrate (and associated invertebrate prey communities), kelp canopy cover along the outer coast, eelgrass beds in estuaries—and certain areas may provide higher-quality habitat for sea otters.